The
Chas Everitt International property group now has an office open in Bloemfontein,
which currently has one of the fastest-growing property markets in the country.

The franchise in the Free States capital city was recently purchased
by the local BCF Group, which has been serving Bloemfontein consumers
for the past 15 years. The diversified companies in the group include
BCF Micro Finance, BCF Cellular, BCF Financial Services, BCF IT Solutions,
BCF Properties (Property Management and Rentals), Blue Line Office Supplies
and the local Mamas Chicken fast food outlet.

Chas Everitt International Bloemfontein will be managed by Willie Coetzer,
who has extensive business and real estate experience in the city and
is very upbeat about its property prospects.

The market here is flourishing and has already been in positive
territory for the past three months, mostly because of the growing appreciation
of its convenient location, he says.

Bloemfontein is a centralised city, close to other major cities
by air and on a crossroads leading to five other provinces and Lesotho.
It serves a large geographical area and has good schools, tertiary education
institutions, hospitals and medical facilities, retirement options and
retail centres. This combined with a friendly, more laid-back life style
is attracting executives and families from other cities.

The northern suburbs of the city such as Dan Pienaar, Pentagon Park and
Heuwelsig, as well as western suburbs such as Universitas and Langenhovenpark
have become sought-after places to live, Coetzer says, and the newly established
Woodland Hills Wildlife Estate, which also offers a retirement and medical
facilitation centre, is also in demand.

The focus among buyers is currently on properties for their own
use, and this is contributing to a shortage of rental properties in the
city, which means opportunities for developers. Commercial properties
are also scarce and expensive.

Chas Everitts International director of franchising Barry Davies
says the Bloemfontein office is geared up to capitalise on all these opportunities,
thanks to BCFs strong business foundation in the city and Coetzers
experience, and that he is confident the new franchise has a bright future.